Humidifier



1 E. H. ROBERTS 1,982,323

HUMIDIFIER Filed Feb. 18, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 EDWARD H. ROBERTE:

INVENTOR Nov. 27, 1934. r E. H. ROBERTS 1,982,323

HUMIDIFIER Filed Feb. 18, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR EDWARD H. fifoszrws 5 yum Patented Nov. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUMIDIFIER Edward H. Roberts, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Minneapolis Air Conditioner Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a cor- P poration of Minnesota Application February 18, 1931, Serial No. 516,583

9 Claims. 7 (Cl. 26115) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in humidifiers generally, and more particularly to a humidifier adapted to be interposed in the smoke pipe connecting a furnace '8 with the usual stack or chimney.

The humidifier disclosed in this invention is designed to accomplish; first, humidification by vaporization, the vaporization of thegwater beingproduced by the heat from the products of com- 10 bustion being expelled from a furnace; second, the further utilization of the escaping furnace gases by compelling them to contribute to the efficiency of the general heating system; third, to maintain during such periods as the humidifier is functioning, a circulation of air by means of a fan or blower which draws the air from the rooms or spaces to be humidified, circulates it through the air circulation passages in the humidifier where it is heated, then through the vaporchamber of the humidifier and into the conduit leading back to the-room; the circulation of the air through the humidifier and living room, causing an equalization of the humidity throughout the room, and also better distribution of the heat. An object of the invention is to provide a humidifier comprising a casing whose walls define a heating chamber adapted to be connected to the smoke outlet of a furnace whereby the products of. combustion will circulate through said chamber, and a water supply means being disposed within said chamber and arranged so that the hot furnace gases will coact therewith and vaporize the water supplied thereto, and a conduit being arranged to receive the vapor emanating from said water leg and conduct it to a room for the purpose of humidifying the air therein.

It is another object of the invention to provide 40 a humidifier comprising a casing and an inner casing spaced from the walls thereof to form air circulating passages and means for heating said inner casing whereby the air circulated through said passages will contact directly with the heated surfaces of the walls of said inner casing. V

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a humidifier having a water leg in said inner casing having a portion at its top closing the top of said inner casing and having a portion extending downwardly into said inner casing,

said inner casing having inlet and outlet openings at each side of said last mentioned portion respectively adapted to be connected in the smoke pipe of a furnace whereby the products of combustion passing through said inner casing must 'iect of this invention, is shown interposed in the pass downwardly around said last vmentioned portion.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device as above set forth including means for maintaining the water in said water leg at a constant level and to provide means for circulating -air through said passages and to the rooms to be heated to humidify and equalize the humidity in said rooms.

Other objects of the invention will appear from 05 the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view illustrating my improved humidifier showing it interposed in the smoke pipe connecting a furnace with the usual chimney;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 4, showing the positions of the two water legs in the heating chamber;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; and v Figure -5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2. 1

In the selected embodiment of the invention here shown, there is illustrated in Figure 1, a conventional furnace 2 having a smoke pipe 3 connecting it with the usualflstack or chimney 4. The improved humidifier 5, which formsthe subsmoke pipe 3 and-is provided with conduits 6 and '7 which may communicate with aroom 8, as illus:- trated, so as to cause circulation of moistened air through the room, when the humidifier is operating.

The humidifier includes an outer jacket 9 comprising front and rear walls 11 and 12', end walls 13 and 14, and a bottom wall 15, to which one end of the conduit '7 is connected. The upper portion of the casing 9 is closed by means of oppositely disposed inclined walls 16 and 17, end walls 18 and 19, and a top wall '21. The conduit 6 is con nected'with the top wall 21, as shown.

A relatively smaller casing is disposed within thejacket 9 andcomprises front and rear walls 119 23 and 24, end walls 25 and 26, and top and bottom walls 32 and 27, which cooperate to define a heating chamber. Suitable openings are provided in the front and rear walls 23 and 24 of the in-' ner casing, each provided with a suitable sleeve or flange 28 which project in opposite directions through suitable openings 29 provided in the front and rear walls 11 and 12 of the jacket 9. These sleeves provide means for connecting the smoke pipe 3'with the inner casing so that the products of combustion from the furnace will circulate through the heating chamber when the furnace is functioning.

A suitable water leg 31 is provided within the heating chamber adapted. to contain a supply of water which is vaporized by the circulation of the hot furnace gases through the chamber. The water leg 31 is shown supported by and depending from the top wall 32, into the heating chamber in position to be impinged by the furnace gases entering the heating chamber. The water leg is preferably constructed as shown in Figure 4, and comprises plates 33 and 34 spaced apart by suitable channel members 35, and by means of which they are suitably secured together. The upper edges of the plates 33 and 34 are suitably secured to the wall 32, and the latter is provided with an elongated opening corresponding in shape to the space provided between the plates 33 and 34, as will be noted by reference to Figure 2.

If necessary, the water leg 31 may be provided with one or more laterally extending water legs 36, to increase the effective surface area of the walls thereof and to cause quicker heating and vaporization of the water therein. The leg 36 communicates with the leg 31, as shown in Figure 4, and it is also secured to the top wall 32. The bottom 38 of the water leg 31 is spaced from the bottom wall 27 of the inner' casing, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and the ends thereof preferably engage the end walls 25 and 26 of the inner casing and may be suitably secured thereto. The upright edge of the water leg 36 is preferably spaced from the front wall 23 of the inner casing, as shown in Figure 4. By referring to Figures 2 and 3, it willbe noted that the upper wall 32 is provided with an annular upstanding flange 39 adapted to be secured to the upper marginal edge portions of the inner casing walls 23, 24, 25, and 26, by such means as bolts 40. Because of the water leg 31 being supported by the top wall 32,- it may readily be removed from the casing by removal of the top wall 32. This top wall, it will also be noted by reference to Figures 2 and 3, provides a shallow pan which is in direct communication with the water leg 31 and its extension 36. Into this shallow pan, the water may be precipitated from apipe 41 supported in the end wall 18 of the upper portion of the outer jacket 9, and communicating with a valve-42 adapted for automatic operation by means of a thermal element, diagrammatically illustrated at 43 in Figure 3. Water is supplied to the valve 42 through a pipe 44.

The walls of the outer jacket 9 are spaced from the walls of the inner casing so as to provide the upright air circulating passages hereinbefore referred to, and through which theair delivered into the bottom of the jacket 9 circulates to a vapor chamber 48, defined by the walls 16, 17,

18, 19, and 21 of the jacket 9, and the upper wall 32 of said inner casing. From the vapor chamber 48, the air circulates upwardly through the conduit 6 to be delivered into the room indicated at 8 in Figure 1.

A pipe 51 is shown connected with the lower portion of the water leg 36, as shown in Figure 4, and passes through suitable apertures provided in the wall 26 of the inner casing and the wall 14 of the jacket. A fitting is secured to the outer end of the pipe 51 and supports an upright pipe 49,.provided at its upper end with a horizontal portion 52, from which depends a pipe 53 leading to a suitable overflow. A plug 54 is provided in the fitting 50 for draining the water from the water legs 31 and 36.

A relatively smaller sleeve 55 is secured to the wall 25 of the inner casing and extends through an aperture provided in the wall 13 of the outer jacket and has a cover or closure 56 situated exteriorly of the'jacket. By the removal of the closure 56, the bottom of the heating chamber may readily be cleaned of carbon deposits, soot, and other foreign matter which may accumulate therein.

An opening 5'7 is also provided in the upper inclined wall 16 of the jacket, and has a closure '53 which may be removed so that the interior of the vaporizing chamber 48 may be inspected.

The humidifier 5 is shown supported upon suitable legs 59, which preferably are provided with suitable adjusting means (not shown), whereby the humidifier may be vertically adjusted to align the flue connections thereof with the furnace smoke pipe, as shown in Figure 1, and a suitable blower 61-may be situated beneath the humidifier and interposed in the conduit 7, so that when operated, it will circulate air through the humidifier. The blower 61 may be provided with a suitablemotor 62 which preferably is electrically connected with the usual thermostatic control of the furnace so that when the oil burner, indicated at 63 in Figure 1 is operating, the motor 62 will also be operated, and will circulate air through the humidifier so that when the hot furnace gases are discharged from the furnace and enter the heating chamber, they will impinge against the outer surfaces of the water legs, and thence be directed downwardly around the lower edges thereof and upwardly, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2, thereby causing vaporization of the water in the water legs, the vapor or steam rising into the vapor chamber 48, from whence it will be conveyed upwardly through-the conduit 6 and into the room by the circulation of air through the air circulating passages surrounding the walls of the inner casing. The valve 42 controlling the supply of water to the water legs may also be thermostatically controlled so that as the water in the water legs vaporize's, and the vapor rises into the chamber 48, said vapor will heat the thermal element 43 and cause the valve to open, whereby additional water will be automatically supplied to the water legs from the pipe 41. When the oil burner ceases to function, the supply of heat to the heating chamber 45 will be cut off, whereupon the water will cool, causing the thermal element 43 also to cool and thereby close the valve 42 to temporarily interrupt, or partially interrupt, the supply of water to the water legs.

An auxiliary water leg 65 is shown suspended within the heating chamber, as best shown in Figure 2, for the purpose of heating the water for a domestic water supply. This water leg is preferably positioned midway between' the water leg 31 and the rear wall 24 of the heating chamber, so that the hot furnace gases may circulate around it as indicated by the arrows.

The top of the water leg 65 is preferably posibecomes heated. because of contacting with the tortuous path, and thereby facilitate heating.

An intake pipe 67 communicates with the lower portion of the auxiliary leg 65, and may be connected with a suitable water supply as, for example, the usual city water pressure. 1 A pipe 88 is connected with the upper portion of the water leg 65, and may be connected with the usual hot water or tempering tank (not shown). 7

.By the utilization of the auxiliary water leg 65, a large portion of theheat delivered to the smoke pipe 3 from the combustion chamber oi the furnace, which otherwise might be lost,- is absorbed by the water legs and thus made use of.

The novel humidifier, herein disclosed, has been found to be very efficient in operation. It provides a means'for utilizing the heat discharged from the furnace through the smoke pipe 3 which otherwise would be .wasted in that it would pass into the stack or chimney 4. It will thus be noted that the heat of the furnace gases in the stack are made use of to heat the water in the water wardly through the air circulating passages be tween the walls of the casing and jacket and hot walls of the said casing, thereby rendering the air capable of absorbing the maximum moisture, as it passes upwardly through the vapor chamber 48 into the conduit 6.

The water space in the water legs 3t and 36 is comparatively thin, whereby the water contained therein may be quickly heated. By the provision of the laterally extending water leg 36, additional wall surface is presented to the hot furnace gases flowing through the heating chamber to thereby facilitate and expedite the heating-and vaporization of the water.

The construction ofthe humidifier is such that the circulation of the furnace gases therethrough adequately heats the water in the water legs to vaporize it and cause it to rise in the form of'vapor into the vapor chamber 48, from whence it is carried upwardly through the conduit 6 for dissemination in the room ,8. Its construction is also such that it may readily be connected in the usual smoke pipe of an ordinary furnace, as shown in Figure 1, thereby providing such an apparatus which readily lends itself for use in homes and other places, to supply the necessary moisture required to bring the air in the rooms to the I casing to impinge thereagainst whereby the water therein is vaporized, and a lateral extension on said water leg communicating with the interior thereof, and whereby the surface area of said leg is increased to effect quicker vaporization of the water therein. v

2. A humidifier comprising a jacket having air circulating connections with the space to be humidified, a casing disposed within said jacket and having its walls spaced from the walls thereof to provide air circulation passages, the walls of said casing defining a heating chamber provided with intake and outlet connections for connecting and having a portion above said intake extending across the top of said casing to close the same, said outlet connection being above the bottom of said water leg and on the opposite side thereof from said intake connection whereby the furnace gases will be directed downwardly under the lower portion of said water leg, said jacket having avapor chamber in the upper portion thereof communicating with said water leg whereby vapor emanatingfrom said leg will ascend into said vapor chamber from which it will be conveyed through one of the air circulating connections of the humidifier for distribution in the space to be humidified.

3. A humidifier comprising a jacket, a casing disposed within said jacket and having its walls spaced from the corresponding walls thereof to provide air circulation passages, the upper wall of said casing having upwardly turned flanges and forming an open pan communicating with a vapor chamber provided in the upper portion of the jacket, a conduit connecting said vapor chamber with the room or space to be humidified, a thin water leg depending from said pan into said casing and communicating with said pan, said leg being positioned to cause the hot furnace gases being expelled from the furnace to impinge thereagainst whereby the water in said leg is heated and vaporized, a conduit connecting the lower portion of said jacket with an air circulating device having a conduit connecting it with the room to be humidified, and means for. causing actuation of said air circulating means, when hot 1 furnace gases circulate through said casing,

whereby the water in said water leg will become vaporized and the resultant vapor will ascend into the vapor chamber from whence it is carried upwardly through the outlet conduit 01' the hu midifier into the space to. be humidified by the action of said 'air circulating means.

4. A casing closed at the top and having oppositely arranged intake and exhaust connections whereby it may be connected in the smoke flue of a heating plant and whereby the products of combustion will circulate therethrough, a water leg depending within said casing near said intake connection and forming a bame to compel the products of combustion to circulate downwardly under said leg to the bottomof said casing, a second water leg disposed within said casing between the lower portion of said first mentioned leg and a wall of the casing and having water circulating pipes connecting it with a suitable water tank, said second water leg being in the.

it in the smoke pipe of a furnace whereby the products of combustion will circulate therethrough, means positioned within the casing for causing the furnace gases to circulate downwardly through the lower portion of the casing, a water hot furnace gases impinging against the walls of said water leg will quickly heat the water therein and cause it to circulate through said circulating system.

6. A humidifier structure havingin combination, a casing having an inlet for air adjacent its bottom and an outlet for air adjacent its top, means connecting said outlet to the rooms to be heated, a second casing within said casing having walls spaced from the walls of said first mentioned casing to provide air circulating passages, a conduit passing through the wall of said first mentioned casing and connected to said second mentioned casing and to the smokepipe of a furnace, a second conduit leading from said second casing and connected to a chimney, a water leg extending across said second casing between said conduits and the upper portion thereof to a point adjacent the bottom thereof, means extending into the top of said first mentioned casing for supplying water to said water leg, an auxiliary water leg in said second casing between said first mentioned water leg and the wall of said second casing, and pipes connected to said auxiliary water leg for circulating water therethrough.

7. A humidifier structure having in combination, a casing having an inlet for air adjacent its bottom and an outlet for air adjacent its top, means connecting said outlet to the rooms to be heated, a second casing within said casing having walls spaced from the walls of said first mentioned casing to provide air circulating passages, a conduit passing through the wall of said first mentioned casing and connected to said second mentioned casing and to the smoke pipe oi a furnace, a second conduit leading from said second casing and connected to a chimney, a water container extending across said second casing adjacent its top and extending downwardly therein to a point adjacent the bottom thereof about which the gases from said first mentioned conduit may pass, means at the top of said first mentioned chamber for supplying water to said container, and heat controlled means for regulating the supply of water through said last mentioned means.

8. In an air conditioning apparatus, a casing whose walls define a chamber, a heating drum in said chamber having means for connecting it with the smoke outlet of a furnace and with a chimney whereby the products 01 combustion .irom the furnace may circulate therethrough and heat the walls thereof, the walls of said drum being spaced from the walls of said casing to provide air-circulating passages, a conduit connecting the room with said chamber at a location below said drum for conveying impure air thereto from the room, another conduit leading from the upper portion of the chamber to the room and adapted to convey conditioned air thereto, and means for introducing moisture into the air delivered to said chamber before it is returned to the room.

9. In an air conditioning apparatus, a casing having a chamber therein provided with cold and warm air conduits for connecting it with a room, a heating drum disposed within said chamber and having pipes connecting it with the smoke outlet of a furnace and with a chimney, whereby the products of combustion discharging from the iumace may circulate therethrough and heat the walls thereof, the walls of said heating drum being spaced from the corresponding walls of the casing to provide a plurality of air-circulating passages, means for washing and humidiiying the air passing through said chamber, and means for drawing impure air from the room and circulating it through said washing and humiditying means and into contact with the walls of said drum,

whereby the moistened air is warmed before 

